Kasey Kahne

Nine Racing Driver 2000–2003

Before becoming a fan favorite in NASCAR, Kasey Kahne was a sprint and midget car star in his own right. While driving with Nine Racing, Kasey was the USAC National Midget Series Champion in 2000 and gathered 11 wins from 2000 to 2003 in the USAC National Midget Series and another three wins in the USAC Western States Midget Series. In Kasey’s 2000 break-out season, he earned the title of National Midget Driver of the Year, and claimed victory at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Chicago Motor Speedway, Eagle Raceway, Belleville High Banks, and Eldora Speedway. In 2001, he won events at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, Eagle Raceway, Belleville High Banks, and Indianapolis Raceway Park. In fact, he won his second consecutive “Night Before the 500” Classic at O’Reilly Raceway Park that year, a feat previously achieved by only one other driver—Jeff Gordon.

Kasey started competing in a limited number of micro-midget car events at the age of 14. At 17, he raced open wheel sprint cars and eventually competed in USAC, World of Outlaws, All-Star Circuit, Toyota Atlantic, and Formula Ford 2000 Series. From his success, Kasey landed a part-time NASCAR Busch Series ride during the 2002 season, highlighted by a top-10 finish at Michigan International Speedway. One year later, Kasey earned his first Busch Series win and scored four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes en route to a seventh place finish in the series point standings.

With less than two years of stock car racing experience under his belt, Kasey’s talent and track record had attracted the attention of team owner and former crew chief Ray Evernham. Kasey burst onto the NASCAR Cup Series scene in 2004 by contending for wins on a weekly basis. The 2004 Rookie of the Year recorded 13 top-five finishes and completed the season 13th in the point standings. Kasey scored his first career Cup Series win during the 2005 season at Richmond International Raceway.

During the 2006 NASCAR season Kasey won a series-high six races and started from the Bud Pole six times. He finished the year with 12 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes and earned an eighth-place finish in the driver point standings after qualifying for the Chase for the Cup.

In 2007, Kasey won Bud Poles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway, finishing a season-best second at Bristol after starting from the pole. Late in 2007, marketing giant Anheuser-Busch announced that it would sponsor Kasey and the #9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge Team with its Budweiser brand beginning with the 2008 NASCAR season. Armed with a new sponsor, Kasey has started the 2008 season strong.